Automatic edgesetter



Nov 2, 1937. M. w. HOWARD I i I I I/ f 1. wwww e m m3 O u m N e l Y h w Q S vw wm. 4 l ww MQ wm, ww o a Q gm R Y M l xpm@ r G QM, M 8. ,L G l y D C m H O .l wn M r m. mK Ww\ u. GS www J www IIIIIIIII l mw w@ .unuwdfwuluww M ,l UI w: M+ IW y Ha 1:1 bw Cw o 3Q Qhm. N\ ai Q www NOV 2 1937. M. w. HOWARD AUTOMATIC EDGESETTER Filed Oct. 18. 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NWN @E Nov 2, 1937. M W HOWARD 2,097,943

AUTOMATIC EDGESETTER Filed oct. 18, 1935 4 sheets-sheet s Nov 2, 1937.

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1 i 1 y 4 I u g F" m 2.60 ,Y l l K M. W. HOWARD AUTOMATIC EDGESETTER Filed Oct. 18, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC EDGESETTER Application `October 18, 1935, Serial No. 45,555

16 Claims.

The present invention relates to edgesetting machines and more particularly to semi-automatic edgesetting mechinesV for setting the edges of Wood heel toplifts.

Edgesetting machines as heretofore constructed include as essentials a power-driven oscillating heel-clamping device or jack, the angularamplitude of such oscillation being adjustable, the oscillation being periodically interrupted and the jack being automatically opened and closed in timed relation to said interruption. The jack is provided withmeans for locating theheel so as to bring the toplift into a predetermined position relative to the jacks axis of "oscillation and to the edgesetting iron. A heated edgesetting iron is mounted in a mechanism adapted to apply the iron automatically to thetoplift edgeduring the oscillation of the heel and toplift in the jack, `to rock the iron transversely of the edge of the top- 2o lift at a predetermined time during the oscillation and to withdrawthe iron from contact with the toplift in timed relation tothe interruption of jack oscillation.

The general object of this invention is to provide a machine having improvements resulting in greater production capacity and better'edgesetting ability than machines heretofore used.

The more particular objects of the invention includes the providing of improved means and 3o methods of controlling the movements ofthe edge iron in its application to, and withdrawal from, the edge of the toplift, for rocking the iron transversely of the toplift edge to close the joint between the toplift andthe heel and.` for 35 actuating the oscillating movement between the iron and the toplift.

A further object is to provide an improved jack mechanism iortclamp'in'g, holding and releasing the heel during the operation cycle.

Prior to the edgesetting operation on Wood heels, the toplifts are `nailed or slugged onto the heels and the surplus leather is trimmed therefrom, the edge of the'toplift being allowed to project about 1/64 inch beyond the edge of the heel top, to be pressed flush by 4the edge-iron in the.edge-setting operation. 'I'he trimming .machines inrgeneralzuse trim more closely at .the sides on some styles of heels than at the back. This is because `the closeness of the cut to the wood is gaged by a. gage riding on Ythe wood heel along a line slightly spacedaway from the toplift surface edge to clear the cutter. `'I'he side surfaces of rthese heels meet the toplift surfaceat a more acute angle than does theback surface soLthat .the gage allows the cutter totrlm the toplift closer, relative to the heel toplift surface edge, at the sides than at the back. In actual practice, the result of this variation is that on such styles the lift cannot be trimmed closely enough to the heel at the back portion without trimming too closely at the sides so that the operator sets his machine to trim as close as he dares at the sides in order to leave as small amount of excess projection at the back as possible. The extent of this excess back projection depends upon the particular shape or style ofl the heel. This excess projection of the lift is always 'at the back, never at the sides, and the greater the difference between the back projection and the side projection the greater the probability of a too close side trimming as the result of the operators endeavor to reduce the back projection as much as possible, so any device on the edge-setting machine intended to roll in and hide or remedy this fault at the back must never extend its effect onto the sides, and particularly is this true when an extra large amount of the rolling-in eiect is needed at the back for in such cases the sides are almost sure to be too closely trimmed. If the rollin extends onto the closely trimmed sides, the iron indents and burns the heel cover and seriously damages or destroys the heel.

In the present invention, the roll-in device is one that is adjustable as to the number of degrees the iron is rocked out of `its normal position, but has a definite constant range of rollingin action for any 'given length of stroke, regardless of the angle of rocking.

Another result of the customary non-uniformity of trim of a toplift is that the rear portion of the toplift edge, projecting out further than the side portions, needs more edgesetting than the side portions. Moreover, the extra rolling-in required for the rear portion tends to reduce the edglesetting effectiveness of the edge-iron on this portion. According to the present invention, this difficulty is counteracted by the provision of mechanism by which the edge-iron moves more slowly, and hence with relatively more eiectiveness, over the rear portion than over the side portions of the toplift edge.

A complete cycle in the edgesetting operation. includes a period during which the edge-iron is operating on a heel and a pause during which the operator removes the heel from the jack and replaces it with another. Different grades of work may require more or less strokes of the edge-iron for satisfactory results, but the most desirable (i. e. the minimum) length of pause for discharging and loading is preferably the same for all grades. According to the present invention, mechanism is provided whereby the number of strokes of the edge-iron may be readily varied independently of the duration of the pause between successive periods.

Among additional novel features in the present invention are improvements in the clamp or jack for positioning and gripping the heel during the edgesetting operation as hereinafter described in detail. These improvements result in greater durability of the machine itself, ease of operation of the jack, more denite and accurate positioning of the heels, and more efficient support of the heel against the thrust of the edge-iron.

For certain grades of work and on toplifts of certain texture and quality, it is desirable that the edge-iron be oscillated as well as the heel jack. Thus the relative movement between the iron and the heel is compounded of the two separate oscillations of the heel and the iron. The advantage secured is that by its use the number of jack oscillations can be fewer as the effects of the toplift oscillations and the iron oscillations are to an extent added together. In the machine hereinafter described, the mechanism for oscillating the edge-iron can be made inoperative by simply throwing of.F its drive belt.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which Figure l is a front elevation partly in section of a machine embodying the invention.

Y-Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the heel jack and edge-iron carrier assemblies.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the opposite side showing the cams and associated parts that operate the heel jack.

Figure 4 is a partial plan View of the roll-in mechanism showing the parts as they appear in the middle of the roll-in action.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the heel jack.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of an adjusting clamp.

. Figure '7 is an elevation of a cam of modied form.

In the drawings is illustrated a machine which includes a frame |8 (Figure 2) on which is mounted a motor i2 having two driving pulleys |4 and I6. A belt i8 on the pulley I4 drives a pulley 28 having a pinion 22 meshing'with a gear wheel 24. The gear wheel 24 is clutch-mounted on a shaft 26 (Figures 2 and 3). A conventional disk clutch may be employed, only the driven plate 28, the clutch spring 38, the yoke 82 and the operating lever 34 of the clutch being shown in the drawings. The shaft 26 carries two pinions 36 and 42. The pinion 36 meshes with a cam gear wheel 38 mounted on a shaft 39. An internal cam 48 is shown as cast integral with its gear wheel 88, but, if interchangeable cams are desired, the cam may be detachably secured to the face of the gear wheel as by screws. A cam 52 (Figure 4) is also mounted on or integral with the opposite side of the gear wheel 38 for a purpose hereinafter explained. Another pinion 42 is mounted on the shaft 26 and meshes with a gear 44 which is mounted on the shaft 46. Also mounted on the shaft 46 are cams 48 and 58. Thus the main operating cams of the machine are all mounted on the two shafts 38 and 46 which are driven in synchronism, the sizes of the pinions 38 and 42 and of their corresponding gearY Wheels 38 and 44 being such as to keep the latter in step.

The cam 48, as indicated in Figure l, operates the mechanism by which heels are clamped for edgesetting and are released at the completion of the edgesetting operation. Cooperating with the cam 48 is a cam follower 58 which may be in the form of a roller and which is carried by a rocking lever 54 mounted to rock about a xed axis 56 near its mid-point. At its other' end the lever 54 carries a screw 68 having a hand wheel 6| and in threaded engagement with the lever, this screw being yieldingly locked against selfrotation by a rubber washer 62 and a nut 64. A steel ball 66 is cup-seated in the end of a rotatable shaft 68. This ball bears against the end of the screw 68 to provide a frictionless bearing'for relative oscillations between the shaft 68 and the hand screw 68. The shaft 68 is longitudinally slidable in a tubular shaft I4 and is constantly pressed toward the screw 68 by a spring 'I8 which is compressed between an end of the shaft 'I4 and a collar 12 secured to the shaft near the end thereof adjacent to the screw 68. Inserted in the opposite end of the shaft 68 is a toplift engaging button 76. The tubular shaft 'i4 is mounted in suitable bearings 88 in the main frame and is fixed to or integral with a C-shaped jack cradle 18 so that the cradle is rockable about ythe axis of the shaft 14.

When the heel 82 is in position to be operated on, as indicated in Figure l, it is clamped between the toplift button 16 and a pair of pricks 84 which engage the seat of the heel at two points about 3A inch apart. The pricks 84 are iixedly mounted in the end of a shaft 86 which is slidably mounted in a tubular holder 88. The shaft 86 is strongly pressed toward the heel 82 by a compression spring 98 acting between a shoulder on the shaft 88 and a shoulder inside the tube 88. A collar 98=fast on the shaft 88 limits the movement of said shaft toward the heel and preloads the spring 88. The shaft 88 is held against rotation relative to the tube 88 by means of a pin 98 projecting laterally from the shaft 86 and working in a slot |88 in the tube 88. Adjustment for different heights of heels is made by loosening a clamping cap screw |82 which normally clamps the tube 88 to the cradle 18, whereupon the tube 88 can be slid in or out as desired. Relative rotation between the tube and cradle is prevented by a dog point screw |84 working in slot |86 in the tube. Since the shaft 86 cannot rotate relatively to the tube 88, it is thus held against rotation relative to the cradle, and the heel 82 which is engaged by the pricks 84 in the shaft 86 is constrained to oscillate with the cradle when the latter is oscillated as hereinafter described.

When a heel is inserted in the jack, the heel seat is guided past the pricks 84 by a divided heel-seat bar I4 which is pivoted at ||8 to the sleeve bracket |88 which is secured on the shaft 86, the bar ||4 being resiliently pressed forward by 'a spring |22, its forward movement being limited by a stop ||6.

When in position for edge-setting, the heel 82 is pressed against the yielding pricks by the button 16 in the end of the slidable shaft 68, the yielding of the pricks being opposed by the strong spring 98. When the button 16 is retracted to release the heel 82, the heel is dislodged from the pricks by the bar ||4. Mounted on the bracket |88 and locked thereto by a cap screw ||2 is a heeleseat stop ||8, the horizontal portion of which (shown in Figure 1 but not in Figure 5) is adapted to be engaged by the shank CTE `main frame 0.

lipjof a heel inserted in the vjack, thus serving `to determine 'the `vertical position of the Vseat ofthe heel with reference to the jack. This heel-seat stop can be angularly and vertically adjusted by reason of the slot |20 in -which the cap-screw ||2 rides. A cylindrical rubber breast stop |26 is revolvably mounted in a support |28 which in turn is mounted inthe cradle 18 and is locked in its adjusted position by a screw |30.

In carrying out an edgesetting operation, the edge-iron is held stationary, or nearly so, while the heel is oscillated so as to rub the fedge of the toplift'against the iron. For* this purpose, thecradle 18 is oscillated by mechanism controlled by the cam 40. As shown in Figure 3, the cam 40 is `in the form of a channel the side Walls of which 'are engaged by a suitable cam follower |34 such as a roller, this roller being mounted on two links by a common pivot |40. One of these links |36 is pivoted at |38 to the frame I0. The other link |42 is pivoted at 44 to a block |50 which is slidably adjustable in a slot |52 in one arm of a lever |54 rockable on pivot |56 under thecontrol of a screw |46. The block |50 may be locked in its adjusted position by a hand wheel |48. At the opposite end of the rocking lever |54 is a gear sector |58 which meshes with a pinion |60. As shown in Figure 1, this pinion is secured on the jack cradle shaft 1.4 as by a lock nut |62 so that rocking movement of the lever |54 results in oscillatory rotation of the cradle 18 which carried the heel The oscillatory rotation of the heel causes the side and rear edges of the toplift to travel past the `edge-iron so that, When the edge-iron is held properly with rel'ation to the toplift, the edge of the toplift is rubbed .against the edgeiron, thus performing the edgesetting operation.

Movement of the edge-iron into and out of engagementl with the toplift is effected by a rocking movement of a lever |66 which is pvoted on a xed horizontal shaft |68 mounted on a standard |60 which rises from the base of the A secondary lever |10 is carried by the lever |66 and rocks relatively thereto on a pair of trunnions |1|, the axis of which is alined with the working end of the edge-iron and `intersects the axis of the shaft |68. Rocking movement of the lever |10 about the axis of the trunnions |1| alters the angular relation betweenl the edge-iron and the toplift without any lateral displacement. As indicated inFgure 4, rocking movement of the lever |10 is limited in one direction by an adjustable stop |68. Rocking movement in the opposite direction is opposed by a spring 200. Pivoted to the lever |10 is a third lever |12 (Figure 2) which rocks about a pivot pin |14 having an axis parallel to the axis of the trunnions l1 I. This lever permits movement of the edge-iron later'ally of the toplift, that is, in the general direction of the vertical height of the heel. As shown in Figure 4, rocking movement of the lever |12 about its axis is limited in one direction by an adjustably fixed stop |84. A spring |96 normally holds a portion of the leverV |12 against this stop but permits yielding movement therefrom.

If desired, short-period oscillations along the edge of the toplift may be imparted to the edgeiron during the edgesetting operation. To this end a lever |16 is rockably carried by the lever |12, the lever |16 being secured to a horizontal tubular shaft |18 which is suitably journaled in the lever |12-and which carries therein a heating unit |19. The leverv|16 serves as the holder forzthe `edge-ironlt which is removably secured to one endthereof as by a .setscrew |82. Aslindicated in Figure 2, the work-engaging face ofthe tool is preferably arcuate, the radius of curvature of the arc being equal to or'slightly lessthan the radius of the arcuate path of the tool face as it rocks about the` axis of the shaft |13 in its oscillating movements. The oscillations of the tool thus result in rubbing movements against the toplift, and hammering action on the part of the tool is prevented. The opposite end of the lever |16 is in the form of a yoke |92 in which a block |90 is slidably tted. A crankpin |88 on a pulley wheel |84 imparts motion to the block |90 when the wheel |84 rotates kand thus causes the iron holder |16 to rock. The

`pulley wheel |84 rotates on a shaft |86 mounted on the lever |12, and is driven by a belt |65 from the pulley wheel E6. The belt can readily be disconnected if it is desired to operate the iron without oscillation.

Rocking movement of the primary lever |66 is produced by the cam 50, but the lever is indirectly connected thereto, as follows. A lever 204 is mounted to rock independently on the shaft |68, thus having a common axis with the lever |66. These two levers are yieldingly pulled toward each other by a tension spring 206 which `is anchored to the lever |66 by a. pin 208 and adjustably attached to the lever 204 `by a screw 2|8 which is operated by a hand wheel 2|2. A screwr 2|f8 adjustably limits the movement of these two levers toward each other. A hand wheel 220 operates the screw 2|8. `A cam roller 3 is, as hereinafterexplained, to move the iron into and out of operative relation to the work.

Mechanism for rocking the lever |10 labout the axis of the trunnions |1| is illustrated in Figure 4 and includes a cam roller 232, mounted in the end of a plunger 234 slidably mounted in the L frame l0, the roller being held in constant engagement with the cam 52 by tension springs 236 acting between pins 238 in the frame I0 and pins 240 in a, yoke 242 which is rigidly attached to a lever 246. at one end to the plunger 234 by a pin 248, its other end being ball-shaped as at 250 for smooth and uniform engagement with a disk 252 regardless of the angle of contact therewith. The lever 246 is loosely fulcrumed in a hole 254 in a bracket 256 slidably adjutable on the frame I8 to vary the working stroke of the ball-end 250 from zero to the maximum required. The bracket 256 may be locked in adjusted positions by a bolt 260 which extends through a slot 258 in the frame 0.

In operation the edge is set by oscillating the toplift in its own plane against the edgesetting iron |80. It is well understood that in semiautomatic machines of this type, in which the loading is done by hand, it is essential that the Yloading time be reduced to the lowest possible point in order that the largest possible part of the total time of a cycle of operation may be devoted to the working portion of the cycle -so that the production maybe large without sacrice of quality.

It is essential that the heel 82 be clamped in the jack in such position angularly that the plane of its toplift face is approximately at right angles to the jacks axis of oscillatonand The lever 246 is pivotally attached bodily so that the curved portion of its edge will be as nearly concentric with the jacks axis of oscillation as possible. According to the invention, rapid and accurate locating of the heel in this manner in the jack is facilitated by the provision of gages adapted to engage the heel laterally at or near its two ends, the breast stop |26 engaging the breast of the heel near the toplift end and the heel-seat stop H engaging the heel at the seat end. The heel-seat cross bar I i4 acts to guide the heel seat past the clamping pricks 84 and the toplift-engaging button 'I6 guides the other end so that the operator, to insert a heel in the jack, may grasp the heel near its middle by his thumb and iirst two fingers and thrust it in vigorously between the guides and against the gages with confidence that its location is correct. The crosswise location is had by feel as the operators thumb and lingers touch the ends of the breast stop |2t` and its supporting member |28. As arranged for in the machine shown in the drawings, the heel is loaded into the jack with its breast facing downward and away from the operator at an angle of about 45. As the heel is clamped by motion of the toplift-engaging button '16 (shown in Figure 1) toward the right, the breast is pressed more firmly onto the rubber roll |26 on account of the angle of the breast surface of the heel relative to its line of movement, thus insuring firm, Vbut non-damaging, contact and support for the heel against the iron thrust while edgesetting. In like manner, owing to the slope of the lip stop, the lip of the heel seat moves clear of the lip stop as the pricks 84 sink into the wood, thus insuring that the thin, fragile lip edge will not be bruised or damaged from the thrust of the edge-iron. The edge is set by causing the iron |68 to travel continuously along the convex curved edge of the toplift from one front corner to the other front corner and then back again over the same path lto the first-named corner, thus completing what we may call, for convenience, two strokes, these being produced b-y one rotary oscillation of the jack. These oscillations are controlled by the cam lil revolving about its axis 39, The shape of the cam is clearly illustrated in Figure 3. Starting at the point 26%, which is at minimum distance from the cam center 39, and following the course of theV cam in a counter-clockwise direction, it will be seen that the cam trends outward to the point 210 which is at maximum distance from the cam center. From this point it trends inward to the point 2i2, at minimum distance from the cam center. This in and out motion is repeated until the point 2M is reached. From this point to the starting point 268 the cam follows a circular arc described from the cam center 39. It is evident from Figure 3 that outward movement of the rollerV |34 in the cam slot flil results in rotative movement of the jack in one direction, and that inward movement of the roller |34 results in rotative movement of the jack in the opposite direction, the rate of such movement at any instant depending upon the particular shape of the cam 4Q. Thus, for example, the rate of inward and outward movements of the roller |34 may be slower at the middle of each stroke than at the ends, this resulting in a slower setting of the rear edge of the toplift than the setting of the side portions. Hence, the cam as illustrated in Figure 3 is designed to cause six strokes or three complete oscillations of the jack while the roller travels from the point 268 to the point 274. The roller in its travel from the point 214 to the point 268 is held against any radial movement. This results in a pause in the movement of the jack which is utilized for reloading the jack. The duration of the pause is determined by the length of the arc 276 and is preferably designed to be as short as will permit of proper insertion of a heel into the jack. It is evident that the cam 4|) can readily be replaced by other cams having more or less stroke-producing portions, but having the pause-producing portion 21B of the same preferred length. Such a cam 40' is illustrated in Figure 7, this cam being designed to produce four strokes for each edgesetting operation instead of six strokes produced by the cam shown in Figure 3. Instead of being cast integrally with the gear wheel 38, the cam member 40 is shown as removably securedto the gear wheel as by screws 292.

In order to burnish or set the edge of the toplift, the heated iron |80 must be yieldingly pressed against the edge as the toplift is oscillated in the jack. The toplift shown in Figure 2 is nearly circular in shape, but some toplifts, as on Cuban and military heels, are much longer than they are wide, and in setting these toplifts the iron |83 must move toward and away from the axis of the heel during the edge-setting operation in order to keep in Contact with the edge of the toplift. That means that the primary lever |65 must rock slightly on its axis |68 against the tension of the spring 2 |16. It is essential that auniform predetermined pressure be maintained between the edge-iron and the toplift by the spring 266. Hence the spring is chosen such that the slight rocking movements of the lever |66, resulting from travel of the iron along a noncircular toplift edge, will not appreciably alter the tension of the spring.

While unloading and reloading the jack, the iron must be lifted well away from its working position and this extra movement would act to overload spring 296 unless provision was made for its relief. To this end, I have devised means which acts not only to prevent overload, but which actually reduces the load on the spring while the iron is lifted for re-loading to a point below its working load.

' The loading of the spring 206 while the edge is being set is determined in part by the angular location of the lever 264i (Figure 2), and this in turn is determined by the roller 222 working on the cam 5l). The cam 53 has two concentric cam surfaces, one having a greater radius than the other, the two being joined by surfaces inclined as sharply as is consistent with smooth operation. The concentric surface having the larger radius extends over nearly three-fourths of the circumference of the cam and the other concentric surface nearly one-fourth in the machin'e as shown. The cam 5|) is driven in a counter-clockwise direction as illustrated in Figure 2. When the roller 222 rides up onto the high part of the cam 56, the lever 28A is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction (as shown in Figure 2), pulling the lever |66 in the same direction through the connecting spring 206. If a heel is in position in the jack at the time, the iron encounters the toplift, preventing further rocking of the lever |66. The end of the screw 2|8 pulls away from contact with the lever 66, thus causing the tension of the spring 206 to be fully operative in pressing the iron against the edge of the toplift. The length and position of the high portion of the cam 50 are designed so that the roller 222 rides thereon during the period ofv oscillatory movement of the jack. Coincident with the cessation of oscillation of thejaclnthe cam roller 222 will have reached the end of the high portion of the cam and will proceed to roll down the incline toward and onto the low portion. Shortly after the roller starts down the incline, the end of the adjustable screw 2l8 cernes into contact with the lever |66, whereupon the spring 2M?` becomes inactive and the lever 254 and the lever 66, carrying the edge-iron holding mechanism, are rocked as a unit on the pivot |68 under the actuation of the compression spring 226 and under the control of the cam 50 until the roller 222 reaches the low surface, at which time the edge-iron will have been retracted sulficiently for re-loading the jack. During the unloading and reloading period, the roller 222 will be rolling over the low surface 280, thereby holding the iron motionless in its retracted position. During this pause the spring 206 is in a relatively relaxed condition. Having completed its travel over the low portion 288 of the cam 58, the roller will climb up the incline and onto the highportion, thereby putting spring 286 back into action and bringing the iron into yielding contact with the new heel toplift as shown in Figure 2.

The average iron pressure on the work Vmay be adjusted conveniently and quickly by the use of the hand wheel 252 which acts to increase or diminish the spring tension, and the minimum approach of the iron toward the axis of jack oscillation may be controlled with equal facility by the screw 2|8 which is adjusted by manipulation of the handwheel 228. This latter adjustment functions only when the machine operates idly or when the iron is being retracted from the toplift. Different sizes of toplift-engaging buttons 16 are used according to the style of heel being edgeset and the adjusting screw 2l8 is used to adjust the edge-iron so that, when the machine is operated idly, the iron will just clear the particular toplift button in use. This adjustment and the spring-tension adjustment are in frequent use. Consequently the two hand Wheels 2 I2 and 228, which operate these controls, are located at the front of the machine so that adjustments may be freely and safely made while the machine is running.

The jack opening and closing mechanism is preferably so adjusted that, immediately following the cessation of jack oscillation and the retraction of the edgesetting iron from the toplift, the jack is opened to release the edgeset heel, but, While the edgesetting is being done, this mechanism is as shown in. Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings. The face cam 48 corresponds in shape to the edge-iron lifting cam 58 hereinbefore described. 'I'here are two arcuate cam surfaces, a long one and a short one, the long one being high and the short one low, the two being joined by steep inclines as in the cam E! and for the same purpose, namely, a quick transition from one level to` another. During the actual edgesetting operation,the heel 82 is held tightly clamped in the jack between the points 84, backed by the compression springV 98, and the toplift-engaging button. 1262 isheldlpositively in a fixed position axially.` by the carn48l acting through the cam roller 58; the lever 54, the screw 60, and the steel ball 66 andA the shaft 68 in which the button 16 is inserted:

The camAB is sor-elated to the other operating cams that, when the edgesetting is completed andthe jack oscillation has ceased'v and the iron has been retractedfrom the toplift, the cam 48 will then have rotated clockwise as seen in Figure 3 to a point at which the roller 58 will at once roll down the steep incline from the highto the low portion of the cam. When this occurs, the lever 54 rocks, thereby allowing the shaft 68' to slide in a direction away from the heel, at first under the combined impulses of the spring 98 in the jack and the spring 'i8 on the shaft, and finally, after the collar 96 has seated on its shoulder in the sleeve 88, the sliding movement of the shaft 68 is continued by the action of the spring 'IQ alone to open the jack for unloading and reloading.

'I'his pause lasts only long enough to allow these operations to be performed, after which the jack is closed and the iron is moved into engagement with the toplift edge and the jack oscillations are resumed by the action of the cams 48, 50 and 48, respectively, and their associated apparatus as described.

The yielding pressure requiredtohold the heel in its clamped position is furnished by the compression spring 90. For this spring, as in the case of the edge-iron pressure spring, I have devised means for relieving the spring load when the heel is unclamped and for using the maximum spring load for doing the useful work of clamping the heel for edgesetting. The value of this arrangement lies in the fact that thereby maximum spring life is obtained and a minimum amount of work is required to jack and unjack the heel.

Owing to the characteristics of the machines usually employed for trimming the edges of toplifts after they have been secured to the heels, the` trimmed edge ordinarily projects slightly beyond the edge of the heel itself, such projection usually being greater at the rear of the heel than at the sides. It is desirable to roll-in this extra projection, when present, so as to remedy the fault. Rolling-in is accomplished by rocking the edge-iron out of its normal angular relation to the toplift. The rolling-in eifect must, however, be restricted to the portion of the edge which needs it, that4 is, the rear portion, as any rolling-in applied to `tlie'sides would inmost cases damage the heel. From the foregoing it is evident thatthe desirable roll-in device is one that is adjustable as to the number of degrees the iron is rocked out of 'its normal position, but that connes its range of action, regardless of its angle of rocking, to the portion that needs rolling-in. In the machine illustrated, the rollingin effect is obtained by rocking the lever on the trunnions l'll so as to vary the angle at which the edge-iron is held against the edge of the toplift, As hereinbefore described the rocking of the lever |10 is controlled by the cam 52 and associated mechanism (Figure 4). The amplitudeof thefrocking'movement ofthe lever 110, and hence of the rolling-in angle of the iron, can be varied `by adjusting the positions of the fulcrum piece 256, so that the machine can be readily adjusted for any degree of rolling-in from almost none to the maximum required.

The camv 52 is for the most part in a single plane but is provided with a brief depression 294 which causes rolling-in -movement of the iron as the roller 232 rolls into and out of the depression. The range of rolling-in movement on the toplift is determined by the length of the depression 294 and is thus entirely independent of the amplitude of the rocking movement of the iron. The shape of the contour of the depression in theV cam 52" determines the rate of progressive variatienof the rocking angle as the iron rocks,

during the rolling-in stroke, to and from 'its maximum rocking angle. As long as the roller 232 rides on the high portion of the cam 52, the ball-shaped end 250 of the lever 246 is held away from contact with the disk 252 (as indicated' in Figure 1) so that no rolling-in movement can occur until the roller enters the depression 294. In the machine illustrated, the rolling-in action occurs in the first stroke only, as is evident from a comparison of the cams 40 and 52 as shown in Figures 3 and 4 respectively, the remaining strokes being purely edgesetting strokes with no rolling-in, but it is evident that these cams can easily be relatively adjusted so that the rolling-in action will occur in the second or some other stroke. Y

The several operating cams are driven in synchronism so that each makes a single revolution during one complete cycle of operations, the cams being gear-driven from a common drive shaft for this purpose.

To summarize the operation of the machine, the hand loading, the subsequent automatic movements, and the hand unloadingV of one cycle will be described in detail, it being understood Y that the continued operation of the machine consists of an uninterrupted succession of said cycles.

In operating the machine, the operator places a heel in the open jack, pushing it in between the toplift button 16 and the cushioned seat guiding bars 4 until it stops in proper position against the breast stop |26 and the heel seat stop I0. The heel is then automatically clamped by the cam 48 acting through the cam roll 58, lever 54, ball 66, shaft 68, and toplift button 'F6 to push the heel to the right as seen in Figure l, onto the pricks 84 and then continuing against the resistance of the compression spring 90 to clamp the heel.

As soon as the heel is thus clamped, the cam 40, which during the loading and clamping period has been moving its concentric portion 216 past the cam roller |34, now begins to move said roller |34 first away from and then towards said cam center to cause the lever |54 through its gear teeth |58 meshing with the pinion |60 to oscillate the jack cradle 18 and the heel 82 clamped therein. Simultaneously with these actions, the cam 50, which has also during said loading and clamping period been moving its concentric portion 28E) past the cam roller 222, now moves its roller to cause the lever 294 toV move the lever |66 by means of the tension spring 206 to pull the edgesetting iron 80 into contact with the heel toplift upon which the cam 40 as shown in Figure 3 will cause the heel jack to make three oscillations to set the topliit edge, after which the cam 50 cooperating with the compression spring 226 lifts the edgesetting iron, the cam 48 acts to stop the jack oscillation, and the operat'r removes the edge set heel, thus completing one cycle. Y

In cases'where it is necessary or desirable to roll-in the portion of 'the toplift next to the wood of the heel so as to tighten the joint between the leather and' the wood, the tool is caused to rock back and forth during a portion of one of its strokes. For this purpose, the bracket 256 is adjusted so that the roller 232 is effective to rock the tool |30 as the roller enters and leaves the low portion 294 of the cam 52. The roller and the spring 236 rock the lever 246. The end 250 of the lever presses against the disk 252, rocking the tool-holding lever |16 about the trunnions 1| Thus the tool is caused t0 bear strongly against the portion of the top-lift edge adjacent to the wood of the heel, especially when the rear portion of the edge is moving past the tool, thus closing any crack or gap there may have been between the leather and the wood.

It is evident that various modications and changes may be made in the apparatus herein shown and described Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

i. An edgesetting machine for heel toplifts, comprising an edgesetting iron, means for supporting said iron in a predetermined operating position, means including a rotatable heel jack for supporting a heel in operative relation to said iron, continuously operating means for alternately oscillating and locking said jack through predetermined periods of oscillation and rest, and means for driving said continuously operating means.

2. An edgesetting machine for heel toplifts, comprising an edgesetting iron, means for supporting said iron in a predetermined operating position, means including a rotatable heel jack for supporting a heel in operative relation to said iron, `operating means for imparting groups of oscillations to said jack and for locking said jack in the same position for predetermined periods of rest alternating with said groups of oscillations, and means for driving said operating means.

3. In an edgesetting machine for heel toplifts, means including a rotatable heel jack for holding a heel in position for edgesetting, means actuable to impart oscillations to said jack, said actuable means including a rotatable cam member and a cam follower engaging said cam member and operatively connected with said jack, and means for driving said actuable means.

4. In an edgesetting machine for heel toplifts, means including a rotatable heel jack for holding a heel in position for edgesetting, means actuable to impart a predetermined number of oscillations to said jack in groups and to lock said jack against rotation for predetermined time intervals between successive groups of oscillations, said actuable means including a rotatable cam member, and means for rotating said cam member.

5. In an edgesetting machine for heel toplifts, means including a rotatable heel jack for holding a heel in position for edgesetting, means actuable to control the rotary movements of said jack through successive cycles, each consisting of a predetermined number of oscillations followed by a pause, said actuable means including a driven cam member having an endless cam channel therein, a cam follower riding in said channel and means operatively connecting said cam follower with said jack, and means for driving said actuable means. l

6. An edgesetting machine for heel toplifts, comprising an edgesetting tool, means for supporting a heel in operative relation to said tool, means for causing relative movement between said heel and tool whereby said tool progressively engages the side and rear edges of the toplift of said heel back and forth in successive strokes from one front corner of the toplift to the other, means for varying the angular relation between the long axis of saidV tool and the plane of the toplift face during a predetermined portion of one of said strokes, and means for adjustably altering the amplitude of such variation without appreciably altering the portion of the stroke through which said variation takes place.

'7. An edgesetting machine for heel toplifts, comprising means for imparting oscillations to a heel, means for holding an edgesetting tool against the edge of the toplift during oscillation of said heel, and means for rocking the long axis of said tool relatively to the plane of the toplift face, said rocking means including a driven cam member, a cam follower engaging said cam member and mechanism operatively connecting said follower with said tool, said mechanism including a lever rockable on a fulcrum between its ends, and means for adjustably shifting said fulcrum.

8. An edgesetting machine for heel toplifts, comprising an edgesetting tool, a heel jack adapted to receive and support a heel in operative position, and means for causing relative movement between the heel and tool whereby said tool progressively engages the curved edge of the toplift of said heel back and forth from one corner thereof to the other, said last-mentioned means including means for causing the relative movements between the heel and the tool on the rear portion of said edge to be slower than on the side portions thereof.

9. A heel jack for an edgesetting machine, comprising a frame rotatable about an axis, a pair of heel-engaging members relatively movable along said axis toward and from each other to engage and release the top and seat, respectively, of a heel, a stationary guide element engageable by the breast of said heel, and means for moving said heel axially in the direction of its seat to its position for operation after the top and seat have been engaged by said members.

l0. A heel jack for an edgesetting machine, comprising a frame rotatable about an axis, means carried by said frame for engaging the ends of a heel to hold the heel in position for edgesetting, said means including an element movable along said axis and adapted to engage the face of the toplift of a heel and a second element movable along said axis and adapted to engage the seat of said heel, means resiliently pressing said seatengaging member toward said toplift-engaging member, a stop element denitely limiting movement of said seat-engaging member toward said toplife-engaging member, and means actuable to move said toplift-engaging member positively toward said seat-engaging member to a predetermined position.

11. In an edgesetting machine, means for supporting a heel in position for edgesetting, said means comprising a frame rotatable about an axis, a heel-seat-engaging member carried by said frame and movable along said axis, a continually tensed spring pressing said member toward said position, a toplift-engaging member movably carried by said frame and means for moving said toplift-engaging member along said axis to engage a heel between said members and to press the other said member so as to increase the tensing of said spring.

` 12. In an edgesetting machine, a jack for supporting a heel in position for edgesetting, said jack comprising a C-shaped frame rotatable about an axis, a pair of heel-engaging members slidably supported by said frame in alinement with said axis, means for moving one of said members to engage the toplift of a heel inserted in the jack and to move said heel against the other said member to displace said other member from a normal position of rest, and means yieldingly pressing said other member toward said normal position of rest.

13. A device for clamping a heel in position for an edgesetting operation, comprising a frame, a pair of spaced heel-engaging members coaxially supported by said frame and slidable along their common axis, one of said members having a pair of pricks in the end thereof to engage the seat of a heel inserted in the device, a guide element supported by said one member beyond the end thereof and laterally offset therefrom to be engaged by the seat lip of said heel, said element having a sloping surface whereby said lip moves clear thereof when said heel is pressed axially against said pricks, and means for moving said ing a pair of spaced arms, a shaft slidably pron jecting through one of said arms, an adjustable tubular casing adjustably projecting through the other said arm and coaxial with said shaft, a plunger axially slidable in said casing, a stop to limit movement of said plunger toward said shaft,

a spring resiliently pressing said plunger against said stop,l means for moving said shaft against the topliftJ of a heel inserted in the device to press the seat of the heel against the end of said plunger and to force the plunger back from its stop, and a breast guide for said heel adjustably mounted on said frame.

15.1n an edgesetting machine for heel toplifts, an edgesetting tool, support means for said tool, and means for actuating said support means to move said tool toward and away from operative position, said actuating means including a tensed spring operative to press the tool against the work when in operative position and reaction means for relieving excess tension on the spring when the tool is retracted from its operative position, whereby retractive movement of the tool is not opposed by said spring.

16. In a semi-automatic edgesetting machine for heel toplifts, an edgesetting tool, means for oscillating said tool, means for rocking said oscillating tool to vary the angular relation between the tool and the plane of a toplift, and means for holding and imparting oscillations to a toplift in operative position relative to said tool.

MERTON W. HOWARD. 

